Conservatives Wonder If Negative Ads Could Reduce McCain's Stature

Over at the Atlantic, Marc Ambinder has an interesting reaction from former McCain strategist John Weaver to the Arizona Republican's new ad attacking Barack Obama's celebrity status (complete with references to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears). Calling it "childish," Weaver also claims that harping on Obama "reduces McCain on the stage."

He's not the only conservative to wonder about that possibility.

Former George W. Bush speechwriter David Frum says McCain's latest ad only addresses one type of voter, while perhaps turning off others. "McCain goes into this election with two problems. One is that the Republican base is demoralized and unenthusiastic," Frum said. "The other is that the Republican base is shrunk while the number of independents has grown. The strategic dilemma he faces is to energize his core constituency while swinging the much larger centrist constituency [over to him].

"This ad does a good job of energizing that base, reminding them of things they might not like about Barack Obama," Frum added. "But I wonder whether more offshore drilling is going to be such a big issue with independent voters. And I wonder whether there is not a risk that if McCain's own ads are more consistently negative than Obama's, that he forfeits some of the advantage and stature he's got over Obama."

The Washington Post's Chris Cilizza has more over at The Fix blog. In addition to some who praise McCain's latest ad, he quotes some anonymous Republican sources who criticize the campaign, variously, for taking "one wild swing at Obama after another" and "talking to the press pack, not voters."

Comments

[JFaye]

How Mr. McCain could approve such an ad, mirrors poor judgment. This young woman (Britney Spears) is making what appears as a valiant effort to correct mistakes of her youth. To drag her into the campaign with such negativity, is shameful and takes this campaign to a new low.

[JAB20]

My new motto: If you don't want old politics, vote out the old politicians.

[nellie]

Worth repeating.

[laylahb]

Especially when they're 72 years, old.

[ErnestineBass]

Read. Giggle. Laugh. Cheer!

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article12290.htm

[LeftVetPatriot]

McCainus will not be any shorter come November.
Don't worry, Conservatives.

[Egalitare]

Time for another Team McCain reorganization?

[jukesgrrl]

How Clintonesque.

[neesy08]

if the gop are worried, then i suppose ole grumpy should take note. he will fail, which is fine with me

[nclayla]

All people of conscience -liberal, conservative, Republican, and Democrat- should stand up and protest all of McCain's recent attack ads. Of course this won't happen - not enough of us give a damn.

[seenitall]

he has little stature standing in the shadow of our current prez...

[ErnestineBass]

Only a slug could stand in the shadow of a snake.

[AliHajiSheik]

America does not want an angry old man in their living room. That is why nursing homes are so successful.

[ErnestineBass]

ROFLMFAO!!! ZING

[robotfog]

excellent point!

[TchoupitoulasCanal]

Ahh...too funny.

[Syco]

that was a bit cruel

[smags72]

But TRUE!!! LOL!

[blueinannarbor]

Yeah, kind of like using dimwit celebrities whose lives are train wrecks for political gain is cruel.

[ENOUGH1]

JOHN MCCAIN BUSINESS AS USUAL. THAT IS EXACTLY WHY NOTHING CAN EVER BE ACCOMPLISHED IN CONGRESS. ONE SIDE IS ALWAYS ATTACKING THE OTHER SIDE. IF ALL THESE EXPERIENCED SENATORS REALLY LOVED THEIR COUNTRY, THEY WOULD WORK TOGETHER TO GET AMERICA ON THE RIGHT TRACK. INSTEAD, THEY ACT LIKE CHILDREN.

NO THANKS FOR A SEASONED SENATOR FOR PRESIDENT. I'LL VOTE FOR OBAMA..

[max08]

Let's just hope that McCain never learns to use a computer before the debates.

[JBelbute]

I am ashamed to say I volunteered on McCain's 2000 campaign. He has sunk to depths that I did not think he could. His attacks are just a bunch of lies and his campaign is in dissarray. No better evidence of that than the statement out of his campaign yesterday that McCain does not speak for the campaign.

I don't know what has happened to him, whether the cancer has spread to his brain or it is the Alzheimers or he has just sucked too much face with W but whatever it is, he has shown that he is not fit to be president.

[jukesgrrl]

Hey, you admitted you made a mistake. You DEFINITELY weren't cut out to be a Republican.

[JonRaymond]

I must have missed the stature thing too. Maybe you'd have to see him in person, with him standing on a podium, way above you, while you kneel.

[laylahb]

Don't laugh, but I've been wondering if he'll be standing on phone books during the debates. He's about 5"7 and Obama is 6"1 1/2.

[JAB20]

Of course it reduces his stature. It makes him look as if he doesn't have any solutions to offer to people losing jobs, health care, pensions or homes, to a country with a huge deficit, high inflation, failing banks, and all kinds of other issues. It makes him look as if he doesn't really want to talk about spending at least ten billion a month (off budget) in Iraq while we let Afghanista­n/Pakistan (the home of Osama bin Laden and the gang who masterminded 9/11) go back to the enemies who actually attacked us. It makes him look like the only thing McCain knows to do is to attack his opponent personally and hope that will somehow get McCain elected. And it might work. It was pretty effective for George W. Bush.

The only way to eliminate the nasty negative old-style campaigning is to send candidates (and their Karl Rove-like advisers) packing. If America doesn't like nasty negative campaigning, America had better vote the nasty-doers out.

[max08]

"Conservatives Wonder If Negative Ads Could Reduce McCain's Stature"

Gee, ya'think?

[ChescoMom]

He is the most awkward, wooden man to watch--keeps forgetting his comments and so-called facts from one day to the next. And yet he's still "The Maverick"--brushed his teeth BEFORE drinking his orange juice--WHOA, he's "The Maverick." That person's GONE, folks. If anybody in the middle still finds him the least bit appealing after all HIS flip flops, all HIS negative comments that he really needs to apply to himself, then I'm truly flabbergasted.

[glorysong]

That's a good laugh.

[ilikbshbtntgeo]

Don't trust the smart guy. Vote for the dumb guy! Again.